Ty'n Rhyl

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the road in a walled garden almost opposite the Bethel Calvinistic Methodist Church.

History

The rear wing of the present building incorporates a datestone of 1672, and although it has been remodelled, its core is almost certainly of that date. The original house (surviving as a 2-unit plan, and probably originally one and a half storeyed) was extended in the early-mid C19 with the addition of a 2-storeyed, 2-roomed extension to the west. Further extensions were carried out in 1884 when the architect T Lockwood of Chester was employed to remodel and extend the rear wing. This involved raising it to 2 storeys, extending it to the rear, and refacing it. Home of Angharad Lloyd (1780-1866), a noted antiquarian, geologist and historian, between 1841 and 1866.

Exterior

The rear wing represents the original part of the building, though externally it all dates from the remodelling carried out by Lockwood. Roughcast render over stone and slate roof with tiled cresting. Roughcast render over stone and slate roof with tiled cresting. Two storeys, 3-window range with central entrance. Shallow 4-centred arched doorway with datestone, presumably re-sited from the original building, above. Flat hoodmoulds as entablatures to 2-light mullioned and transomed windows to either side. Upper windows have plain stone surrounds and continuous heavily moulded sill band, and are set beneath gabled dormers with moulded kneelers and finials. Dated 1884 in shield in central dormer. Double gabled rear wing probably added at the time of this remodelling. Frontage block represents an earlier addition to the original house, of c1840: coursed and squared stone with hipped slate roof and central axial brick stack. Two storeys, 2 window range, with wide 12-pane sash window to right, the left-hand window deepened to form French doors. Upper windows are round arched sashes with radial glazing set beneath segmentally arched leaded dormers.

Interior

The 2-unit plan form of the early building is retained in the rear wing, with chamfered beams in each of the 2 rooms. The internal fittings are also C17 but are not in situ and were probably installed during the C19 - reputedly by Angharad Lloyd. The larger room is panelled with a pastiche of C17 panelling, some of it apparently adapted from furniture, and incorporating some low reliefs in the window embrasures. Fire surround and overmantle is reputedly also adapted from furniture, and is highly ornate, with balusters to overmantle, and an inlaid stone panel in the centre. Painted heraldic emblems on the panelling, and the shutters in both rooms are said to the work of Angharad Lloyd. One plain marble fireplace surround survives in the early C19 addition to the house.

Reason for designation

Although locally notable for incorporating one of the earliest buildings in the area, the special character of the house largely derives from its successive remodellings in the C19, and from the quality of the panelled interior.